ABSTRACT
A survey of the radioactivity in the sea in the region of
the North Equetorial Current from the Mershall Islands to the
Marianas Islands was made in September 1956.
The expedition
w&S sponsored by the United States Atlomic Energy Commission,
Division of Biology and Medicine, and carried out by the Applied
Fisheries Laboretory, University of Washington, with the support
and cooperation of the United Stetes Navy.
Plankton s&mples were taken by oblique tows from 200 meters
and water samples were taken from the surface, 25,
150 meters at 74 stations.
50, 100, and
The general pattern of distribution
of radioactivity shows a sharp decrease east of Bikini and a
gradual but irregular decreése west of Eniwetok.
A slight de-
gree of contamination is indicated as far to the west as Guan,
the western extremity of the survey.
Non-fission products
account for a large proportion of the radioactivity in plankton and fish samples.
DOE ARCHIVES